CARR DRIVES T.O TO MARMONTE LEAGUE TITLE T.O. 93, CALABASAS 88.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - Thousand Oaks' Tyler Carr sank a pair of free throws with two seconds remaining to end Calabasas' late-game comeback hopes in Thursday's Marmonte League championship game at Simi Valley High.

In doing so, Carr completed Thousand Oaks' comeback from the league basement to first place.

A season after playing in the league's last-place game, Thousand Oaks upset Calabasas 93-88 to claim the league title and hand the Coyotes their first Marmonte loss of the season.

``This is what we've been working for since last season ended,'' said Carr, who finished with a team-high 29 points. ``After we lost last year, playing in that seventh-place game, we went in the gym and have been working since last summer. This is what we wanted.

``This is amazing. I can't believe this.''

Calabasas (23-4, 10-1) was the only team to defeat Thousand Oaks (20-6, 10-1) during Marmonte play, doing so 62-59 on Jan. 9.

The Lancers led by as much as 19 points in the second half, but the Coyotes gradually chipped away at its deficit before a barrage of big plays in the closing minutes pulled the Calabasas within three.

Drew Housman, who scored a game-high 35 points, converted Calabasas' third consecutive 3-pointer to bring the Coyotes within three at 91-88 with 3. 9 seconds left. Carr was quickly fouled and made both free throws for the game's final points.

``I knew I had to make those,'' Carr said. ``We didn't want to let them back in the game and have a chance to tie it with another three. We didn't want it to be like last time.''

Thousand Oaks scored 24 points in free throws in the fourth quarter as Calabasas used frequent fouls to slow the Lancers' momentum.

The Lancers won the league title two years ago, but the majority of those players graduated, and it showed last season.

``We knew last year we were going to take our lumps,'' Thousand Oaks coach Richard Endress said. ``We're young. Last year was a rebuilding year, but this is not a surprise. I knew they had this in them. And now we've gone from the outhouse to the penthouse.''

--In other games: Simi Valley (18-8, 7-4) secured a playoff berth with a 60-43 victory over visiting Moorpark (12-13, 6-5) in the third place game.

Mark Wells and John Schock scored 20 points each for Simi Valley, which never trailed after opening with a 7-0 lead.

Jonathan Aiwazian scored a team-high 14 points for Moorpark.

In the fifth-place game, Westlake (10-16, 4-7) took the lead for good midway through the fourth quarter en route to a 68-61 victory over Agoura (12-13, 5-6). Royal defeated Newbury Park 52-35 for seventh place.

Heather Gripp, [phone]

heather.gripp(at)dailynews.com